Swimming shoe



J. FEINAUER SWIMMING SHOE d Oct. 25, 1926 INVgNToR J'mauer ATTORNEY Patented June 21, 1927.

JOSEF FEIA'U'ER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

SWIMMING SHOE.

Application mea october 23, 1926'. seiai 'No.14`a,540. n,

The main object of this invention is to provide a swimming shoe consisting of cloth baffles which expose their greatest area in the rearward thrustl of the foot and on recover-y of the latter, are collapsed.

Another object is to provide a swimming shoe consisting of a divided sleeve which is secured about the ankle of the wearer and is secured in position by additional `harness and has flexible cloth areas thereon-which are secured in place 'by a frame capable of being collapsed on recovery of the stroke and extended when thrust rearward.

The above andfother objects will become apparent-in the description below, in which characters of reference refer to like-named parts in the drawing. f

Referring briefly to the drawing, Figure 1 is atop plan view of the swimming shoe with its entire area in exposed or extended position.

Figure 2 is an end elevational view of Figure 1, a portion thereof being shown in section to illustrate thek construction of the ankle sleeve.

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of F igure l with a portion of -a fin broken away to `illustrate the folding mechanism.

Referring in detail tothe drawing, the numerals and 11 indicate semi-circular shell members which taper lengthwise. These shell members are complemental to each other and where the edges meet at the rear thereof, hinge sleeves 12 are formed,

thru which pins 13 pass for joining said shell members pivotally to each other. The inner surfaces of these shell members l0 and 11 are surfaced with layers of cork 14. Said layers of cork lie in contact with the fiesh of the wearer and are adapted to prevent bruising and chaling of the flesh.

These shell members when arranged beside` each other form an elliptical opening 15 into which the ankle is inserted when said shell members are rotated to open position. Each of the shell members is provided with housings 16 and 17 which extend radially and outwardly therefrom and are closed at the top. The side walls 18 of these housings form a guide for thehooked end 19 of rods 20 and 22. Said hooked ends are pivoted on studs 21 and are adapted to rotate substantially 90 degrees from the vertical to the horizontal. The studs are anchored in the walls 18 of the housing and are peenedover to secure them in place. The rods 20 and L22 are four in number and the tipsare joined by iiexible rope 23 which.forms the outline of a rectangle. A second rope 24 forms an Outline of a similar and smaller rectangle and between these ropes 23 and 24, canvassed duck material 25 is secured by lapping' the edges of the material 25 over the ropes and stitching the same down. The space between the adjacent rods 22 is devoid of any canvas, the areasbetween theI rods 22 vand their adjacent rods 2O and the area between' the rods 2O are closed by the canvas material 25. The housings are pi'oifi'ded with' extending plates 26 which have outwardly offset ears 27 at one end. These plates are secured in place on the sleeve sections; 10 and 11 by rivets 28 and the ears are adapted to serve as guide means for a strap 29 which encircles the sleeves and is knotted lat 30 to secure the sleeve sections around the ankle. Slots 31 are provided in both sleeve sections and'have belts 32 and 33 looped thereon. The belt 33 forms saddles in which the instep of the foot is positioned and an additional brace member 34 enircles the back of the foot and retains the latter in the saddle. The straps 32 are joined at their upper ends by an additional strap 35 which is adapted to encircle the calfof the leg and aid in securing the entire device xed on the foot.

The swimming shoe illustrated in this application is adapted on rearward thrust of the foot to fully extend the canvas area between the rods20` and 22, its normally extended position being illustrated in Figure 1. On recovery of the stroke of the foot, the rods 20 and 22 are adapted to be rotated from the vertical to the horizontal position about the studs 21 as resistance is offered to the canvas sections 25, thereby collapsing these fins and permitting recovery of the stroke with the least amount of resistance. The device is used in pairs, one being attached to each ankle and are slipped in place by spreading the sleeve sections which is accomplished by rotating members 10 and 11 about the pins 13 mounted in the hinge sleeves 12. The instep of the foot is saddled in strap 33, the sleeve sections 10 and 11 are lagain closed and secured in closed position by the encircling belt 29, which is knotted at the rear of the swimming shoe and is then ready for use.

It is to be noted that certain changes in form and construction may be made without lll departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

l. 1n a swimming shoe, a pair of semioval shell sections, hinges joining the edges of said sections, rods extending outwardly from said shell sections, textile material at the front and sides of said shell sections and secured to said rods, ropes joining the ends of said rods on three sides, said ropes engaging said rods at the ends and midway the length thereof, one of the ends of said rods being hooked, and means receiving the hooked ends of said rods for pivotally supporting said rods on said shell sections.

2. In a swimming shoe, a pair of semioval shell sections, hinges joining the edges of said sections, rods extending outwardly 'from said shell sections, textile material at the front and sides of said shell sections and secured to said rods, ropes joining the endsI of said rods on three sides, said ropes engaging saidrrods at the ends and midway the length thereof, one of the ends of said rods being hooked, housings mounted n said shell sections extending radially therefrom, said housings forming guides for said rods permitting movement of substantially 9() degrees from a position parallel to said shell sections to a position at right angles 'to said sections.

3. In a swimming shoe, a pair of hingedly joined semi-oval shell sections, housings extending radially from said sections, said housings being semi-circular and having a closed end, studs mounted in said housings, rods slidable in said housings, hooks formed o n the ends of said rods, said hooks being mounted on said studs, and textile material secured on three sides of said shell sections between said rods, said shell sections being lined with cork or the like and straps and harness for securing said shell sections to the foot.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

JQSEF FEINAUER. 

